


something to tell you

by allegrolines



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, First Meetings, Friendship, Gen, Long-Distance Communication, M/M, Music feels, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6659047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allegrolines/pseuds/allegrolines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their flats are set symmetrically, so the two bathrooms share a wall; both of them must keep similar hours, because Woohyun can usually hear water running at the other side whenever he’s having a shower. Thanks to some trick of the building the sound carries over very clearly there, echoing against the tiles. That’s how, a week into their new living arrangement, Woohyun discovers that his neighbor likes listening to music while he's in the shower, and singing along to it more often than not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	something to tell you

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [InfiniteRarepairFicathon2016](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/InfiniteRarepairFicathon2016) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> We’ve never met but we shower at the same time and our showers are on opposite sides of the same apartment wall so sometimes we start duets.
> 
> \---
> 
> Dear prompter:
> 
> This definitely a) went beyond the prompt, b) got completely out of hand, but I really really hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> Just in case, mild warning for mentions of work-related stress.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Woohyun first learns about the new neighbor through Mrs. Park, who had heard about him from Mr. Kim. A nice-looking young man—or so Mrs. Park tells him—very polite too, with just the tiniest hint of satoori in his voice. It's not so much a conversation as it is a monologue; Woohyun gives up replying to her, and spends the whole ride up to the sixth floor making appropriate noises of assent whenever she stops speaking for longer than five seconds.

The next day he comes home to find a box of rice cakes at his door, carefully wrapped in shimmery paper. Woohyun doesn’t manage to meet the new guy, but his presence is hard to miss—the silence from before gets filled with the soft white noise of a lived-in apartment, a comfortable background of footsteps coming and going, the occasional door slam, and TV shows set on low volume. 

Their flats are set symmetrically, so the two bathrooms share a wall; both of them must keep similar hours, because Woohyun can usually hear water running at the other side whenever he’s having a shower. Thanks to some trick of the building the sound carries over very clearly there, echoing against the tiles. That’s how, a week into their new living arrangement, Woohyun discovers that his neighbor likes listening to music while he's in the shower, and singing along to it more often than not.

Woohyun rinses his hair while humming the chorus of Run, and smiles to himself.

 

※※※

 

The new album is coming along nicely—all of the songs except for the one that Woohyun wants to have as the main title. He’s happy with parts of it, particularly the melody and the lyrics, but no matter how much he works on it, somehow it never sounds quite how he wants. It’s different from having a writer’s block, which he’s been lucky enough to avoid so far; Woohyun still has plenty of ideas, and he's able to put them into music, but working on that particular track feels like moving one step forward and then and two steps back—for every little thing he manages to fix, he finds another four he isn’t fully satisfied with yet.

There’s a flight to Beijing scheduled less than a month away, and he’s supposed to meet up there with the audio engineer that helped record his debut album. Woohyun can only hope he’ll have enough time to finish everything on time, even though he has a fallback tracklist just in case it doesn’t work out. He stays up late at night, until the glare of his laptop screen hurts his eyes and the drafts he jots down on paper blur into a mess of eighth and sixteenth notes, headphones tight over his ears and fingers slipping on the keyboard, trying different progressions over and over until the sunrise spills over his desk.

Meanwhile, Woohyun’s first guess about his neighbor following a schedule similar to his proves to be wrong, as another week goes by and they never run into each other. He even knocks on apartment number 5 once to thank the guy for the rice cakes and welcome him to the building, but no one gets the door, and Woohyun is too busy to try again. They keep showering more or less at the same time though, and there’s something comforting about the sound of his voice, husky but sweet. His tastes seem to lean towards hip hop, but Woohyun has heard him listen to other genres as well; he finds himself following the lyrics under his breath whenever he’s familiar with the songs, but he doesn’t actually join in until the day the guy is singing to Annyeong Bada and Woohyun starts harmonizing over the melody halfway through the first verse, not even fully aware of what he’s doing. In fact, he doesn’t realize he’s singing aloud until the music cuts off suddenly.

It occurs to Woohyun that his neighbor might not have been aware of how loud he was being—even though he would bet money on the good acoustics of the bathroom going both ways. The silence coming from the other side of the wall feels too pointed, expectant, like whoever is there is trying to figure out what to do next. Woohyun feels kind of bad about it for a moment, knowing he’s taken the guy by surprise, but then decides to try something, figuring that the situation can’t get any more awkward than it already is. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and sings a few measures of Fading Starlight, knocking on the tiles a couple of times once he finishes them.

There’s no immediate response; Woohyun is reaching for the body wash when he hears an answering bump, soft and a little hesitant, and then the music starts playing again. This time Woohyun is the first to sing along, adlibbing over the track; his neighbor follows him a few beats later, his voice growing bolder as the song goes on. It’s fun, and a little silly, and Woohyun is grinning by the time he’s done showering.

It kind of turns into a thing between them.

They sing to Chris Brown and Beyoncé and Usher, but also to Younha and Lee Sora and Clazziquai Project. Sometimes Woohyun knows the lyrics, sometimes he doesn’t; he always makes a point of singing along though, never one to avoid a challenge when it comes to music. One day the guy next door starts off with a song by Dynamic Duo, probably expecting Woohyun to do the vocal parts. Woohyun does _not_ , going off script and picking up one of the rap parts; it’s enough to startle his neighbor into laughter, so loud Woohyun can hear him from his own apartment as clearly as if the wall weren’t there. For a split second he considers raising his voice to say something—his name, a greeting, _anything_ —but then the moment passes, and the other bathroom goes quiet and still.

 

※※※

 

“Did you hear about the firemen coming in this morning, Woohyun-ssi?”

Woohyun blinks at the huddle of people blocking the way to the elevator. Five pair of eyes stare back at him, waiting for an answer, even though his brain feels too sluggish to even process their question in the first place. He hasn’t really slept longer than a handful of hours over the last few days, and the trip to Beijing is looming over his head, a constant reminder of the unfinished song sitting on his laptop. He clutches his grocery bag a little tighter, the rough canvas of the handles biting into his skin.

“Well?” Mr. Kim insists. “I heard they got the call from your floor.”

“Ah, well—” Woohyun begins. He wonders if they are fishing for details or just looking for first-hand confirmation of what went on. “The thing is, I was sleeping this morning. I didn’t want to be disturbed, so I even put my earplugs on, just in case. I didn’t really hear anything.”

“But Namu-yah!” Mrs. Park exclaims, like she can’t believe him. “That could have been so dangerous! It happened on the apartment right next to yours, after all. You know, the one that young man moved into at the end of last month.”

 _There it is_ , Woohyun thinks—so they were only after a confirmation. He forces himself to smile. “I’m sure it was fine,” he says, wishing he had taken the stairs and kept clear of this whole exchange. “They’d have broken down my door if I’d been in real danger.”

Mrs. Park doesn’t look satisfied. “I guess you’re right,” she says at last, as reluctantly as Woohyun has ever heard her.

“Who heats up a pan full of oil so much that it catches on fire, anyway?” Mr. Kim complains, even though Woohyun knows for a fact that the man hasn’t gone next to a stove even once in his life.

“Was that guy hurt, though?” Woohyun asks. “My neighbor, I mean. Is he okay?”

There are vague mutters of _I guess he was fine?_ and _We didn’t hear anything about that_. Woohyun sighs, feeling worn down to the bone. Most of the time he appreciates the sense of belonging to a close-knit community where everybody kind of knows each other, but right now he doesn’t have the energy to deal with their gossiping, even less when they are trying to disguise it as real concern. He bows politely at them and weaves his way through the crowd, being careful not to let his smile drop until the elevator doors close behind him and it begins its slow climb to his floor. He wants nothing more than to lie down and sleep for a week, but there are groceries to be sorted out, first, and then work to be done. 

Woohyun’s dividing a tray of chicken drumsticks into individual portions when his eyes land on the menu of a takeout place, held onto the door of his fridge by an Eiffel-shaped magnet. He stores the meat in the freezer and takes the pamphlet, chewing on his bottom lip as something occurs to him. He knows he might be overstepping his boundaries, but after a moment of deliberation he picks up a pen, and starts writing.

 

※※※

 

 _Hello number 5-nim! This is your neighbor from the apartment next door (number 4!)_  
_I was told you had an accident earlier today, I hope you didn’t hurt yourself!! Next time you’re hungry I really recommend this restaurant. The jjampong and the croquettes are very very good, and I’ve also highlighted a few other tasty dishes, just to be sure._  
_Please be careful!!~_  
_Namu_

 

※※※

 

A blare wakes Woohyun up at seven in the morning. He panics when he realizes it’s coming from his laptop, fearing for one heart-bursting moment that his work has been ruined or lost. It’s only an alarm, thankfully, though he can’t remember setting it; he clicks it silent and drops his head on the desk, breathing heavily into the space between his arms. He’s been sleeping worse lately, not that he’s surprised, and whenever he manages to doze off for a little bit he has weird, upsetting dreams, so sharp and vivid they leave him feeling headachey and weak afterwards. He raises to his feet, rubbing at his chest through the soft fabric of his t-shirt, and pads to the kitchen to fix himself something for breakfast.

There’s a folded piece of paper on the floor at the entrance, like someone had slid it under the door of the apartment while Woohyun was sleeping. He picks it up and smooths it out, realizing with surprise that it’s the check for an order of jjampong, dumplings, and assorted banchan; there’s also a note scribbled on the back:

 _Namu? I wasn’t aware I moved into a forest._  
_I didn’t get the croquettes this time but everything else was very good._  
_Why don’t you choose the music tomorrow? I’ll try to follow it._  
_Hoya_

Woohyun smiles, rereading the note while he takes slow sips of ginseng tea and listens to the changes he did to his song the night before. It’s not fully ready yet, but it’s getting closer to what he wants; he’s also feeling much more clear-headed after a few pieces of toast. He stretches his arms over his head, switches on his keyboard, and opens a new file on Cubase.

 

※※※

 

 _Aren’t hoyas supposed to be plants, too? In that case it’s fortunate you moved into the forest, right? Their flowers are very beautiful, but is it true they are temperamental plants? I wouldn’t want to bother them._  
_As you can see I’m writing this note on yet another restaurant menu; please try their donkkaseu, you won’t regret it~_  
_Also, I’m glad you like both MIA and Stevie Wonder! Tomorrow it’s your time to pick again!_  
_Namu_

 

※※※

 

 _According to the internet hoyas aren’t that difficult to handle as long as they have enough space for themselves, so don’t worry about them too much._  
_The donkkaseu was incredible, by the way. Where do you even find these places, number 4-nim?_  
_I didn’t know you were a fan of B’z. It sounded like you had a lot of fun showing off._  
_Hoya_

 

※※※

 

Woohyun’s empty suitcase seems to be glaring at him from the floor, and his bed is a mess of folded clothes and toiletries. He should have already started packing; instead, he’s making sure that all his equipment is secured properly for the third time, even though he _knows_ it is. There’s a knot of nerves in the pit of his stomach, but at least he knows he’ll be able to settle down once he gets on the plane. A side effect of traveling quite often is that flying tends to make him sleepy; Woohyun’s kind of looking forward to taking a two-hour nap on his way to Beijing.

Half an hour later he’s packing his last pair of jeans and tossing an extra toothbrush into his vanity kit. There’s nothing left for him to do other than wait for his ride to the airport, so he checks his emails—nothing new there—and his schedule for the next four days. Woohyun switches on his TV, then turns it off when nothing catches his attention after a few minutes of channel-surfing.

He’s been wondering whether he should warn his neighbor about the trip, to at least let the guy know he hasn’t randomly disappeared. Woohyun suspects he’s overestimating how much his neighbor would care about the sudden lack of interaction, but he can’t help feeling it’s the right thing to do—or rather, it’s what Woohyun hopes the other would do if he had to leave for a while. With that in mind, he glances through his little stack of takeout menus, trying to find a good one to use as stationery.

It takes Woohyun a while to finish the note, and he spends a long time worrying about how to convey the right mood through his words. He writes down his message on the menu after a lot of second-guessing, folding it neatly into a small square afterwards. Woohyun walks all the way up to his front door and then four steps to his left, stops before apartment number 5, crouches down, and pushes the note under the door, flicking it with just enough force that it goes spinning to the other side. He doesn’t knock—by now he knows there’s no one home at this time of the day—and he doesn’t linger either; he dusts the knees of his jeans and goes back to his place.

 

※※※

 

 _I hope you like sushi, number 5-nim, because this place makes one of the best chirashi bowls I’ve ever tasted!_  
_I’m going to be abroad until Saturday evening because of work, but if you want to reach me my KaTalk username is nwh******. I have a lot more restaurant recommendations, so feel free to add me._  
_Have a nice day~_  
_Namu_

 

※※※

 

\--------------20160224--------------

Hoya ●_● (18:23): hi

Hoya ●_● (18:23): this is your neighbor

Hoya ●_● (18:46): unless that last note was a prank and this is an actual stranger 

Hoya ●_● (18:47): in that case i’m really sorry 

Namu ♧♧ (20:04): hi!!! 

Namu ♧♧ (20:04): definitely not a prank! 

Namu ♧♧ (20:06): sorry i was still on the plane when you texted me

Namu ♧♧ (20:06): i’m waiting for my luggage right now

Hoya ●_● (20:08): so you’re really on a business trip?

Namu ♧♧ (20:09): yes! just like i said

Namu ♧♧ (20:09): why you thought i was lying or something?

Hoya ●_● (20:12): well it’s not like i know you

Namu ♧♧ (20:15): ouch

Namu ♧♧ (20:15): how can you say that???

Namu ♧♧ (20:15): after all the times we’ve sung together ;A;

Namu ♧♧ (20:16): you have a really nice voice btw

Hoya ●_● (20:18): it’s ok i guess?

Hoya ●_● (20:19): where are you then?

Namu ♧♧ (20:30): hold on i’m getting a cab

Namu ♧♧ (21:17): ugh the traffic is impossible 

Namu ♧♧ (21:17): thankfully i got a nice driver

Namu ♧♧ (21:18): and i’m in beijing

Namu ♧♧ (21:18): not that it makes that much of a difference 

Hoya ●_● (21:25): what do you mean? 

Namu ♧♧ (21:25): well you know 

Namu ♧♧ (21:25): work trips

Namu ♧♧ (21:26): i won’t see a lot of the city beyond my hotel room and the studio

Namu ♧♧ (21:26): fingers crossed i get a room with a nice view tho

Hoya ●_● (21:28): studio? what do you do?

Namu ♧♧ (21:29): well 

Namu ♧♧ (21:29): i could tell you but

Hoya ●_● (21:29): please don’t

Namu ♧♧ (21:30): then i’d have to kill you

Hoya ●_● (21:31): i’m never talking to you again 

Namu ♧♧ (21:33): awww

Namu ♧♧ (21:33): don’t be like that

Namu ♧♧ (21:37): anyway i have to go

Namu ♧♧ (21:38): have a nice evening neighbor!!!

Hoya ●_● (21:56): oh. you too

\--------------20160225--------------

Namu ♧♧ (04:21): do you ever have an idea for something and it just makes so much sense in your head? you can see how it’s supposed to work. how every part comes together so easily. but every time you try to pin it down it keeps slipping away and then you have to work ten times harder to get back to the starting point

Namu ♧♧ (04:22): but the only thing you can do is keep trying over and over again until you get it right

Namu ♧♧ (04:22): or at least as close to right as possible 

Namu ♧♧ (04:24): sorry it’s really late

Namu ♧♧ (04:25): you must be sleeping

Namu ♧♧ (09:40): so apparently i fell asleep on my desk

Namu ♧♧ (09:40): someone covered me with a blanket at some point 

Namu ♧♧ (09:41): and also stuck a post it on my face

Namu ♧♧ (09:41): it says you have a hotel room go there and don’t drool on the equipment 

Hoya ●_● (09:44): i’m surprised it was just a post it 

Hoya ●_● (09:44): you sure no one doodled on your face with permanent marker?

Namu ♧♧ (09:44): yes?

Hoya ●_● (09:45): too bad

Namu ♧♧ (09:45): what are you five?

Hoya ●_● (09:47): you can’t go wrong with the classics when it comes to pranks

Namu ♧♧ (09:48): ok that’s fair

Hoya ●_● (10:13): you’ve just woken up?

Namu ♧♧ (10:24): nah i’ve been awake for a while 

Hoya ●_● (12:23): i meant to ask you something

Hoya ●_● (12:23): what’s the name of that song 

Hoya ●_● (12:23): the one you sang before you left

Namu ♧♧ (13:07): daisy?

Hoya ●_● (13:25): no not that one

Hoya ●_● (13:25): the other one

Hoya ●_● (13:25): you only sang a tiny bit of it

Hoya ●_● (13:25): without lyrics

Hoya ●_● (13:27): i’d like to listen to the whole thing

Namu ♧♧ (13:49): oh

Namu ♧♧ (13:49): well it doesn’t really have a title

Namu ♧♧ (13:51): it’s not even finished

Namu ♧♧ (13:51): yet

Namu ♧♧ (13:51): i’m kind of working on it

Hoya ●_● (14:02): wait is that what you do?

Hoya ●_● (14:02): you’re a composer?

Namu ♧♧ (14:48): sorry for not replying earlier it’s a busy day

Namu ♧♧ (14:48): and yeah that’s what i do

Hoya ●_● (14:48): don’t worry about it

Hoya ●_● (14:49): i’m glad your job is nothing illegal tho

Hoya ●_● (14:49): probably 

Namu ♧♧ (14:50): i swear i don’t actually kill people for a living 

Hoya ●_● (14:53): fuck

Hoya ●_● (14:54): do you always talk about murder with strangers? 

Hoya ●_● (14:54): is it your only conversation topic 

Namu ♧♧ (14:54): only with you 

Hoya ●_● (14:55): i’m so flattered 

Namu ♧♧ (14:55): you’re welcome 

Hoya ●_● (14:57): you travel for work a lot?

Namu ♧♧ (14:58): kind of? it depends i guess

Namu ♧♧ (14:59): one of the noonas i’m working with for this new project has been living in beijing for the last few years so this is the third time i’ve come here in the past six months or so

Hoya ●_● (15:01): makes sense 

Namu ♧♧ (15:02): i like this part of the job a lot but some of my friends seem to think it’s like going on vacation 

Namu ♧♧ (15:02): this friend i have wanted to go to hong kong so he was like hey tell me what places you’d recommend me to visit

Namu ♧♧ (15:03): i was like the last time i went there i literally spent thirty hours working almost non stop and then slept on an actual bed for like four and then worked for another twelve before heading back to the airport 

Hoya ●_● (15:06): shit

Hoya ●_● (15:06): that sounds like a lot

Namu ♧♧ (15:09): well i didn’t tell him literally that but you know how it is

Namu ♧♧ (15:10): i mean you’re gonna tell me your job doesn’t get like that sometimes? 

Hoya ●_● (15:10): no it’s also definitely like that from time to time 

Namu ♧♧ (15:10): right???

Hoya ●_● (15:12): so what are you doing right now?

Hoya ●_● (15:12): are you on a break?

Namu ♧♧ (15:12): yeah

Namu ♧♧ (15:12): i was supposed to take a nap 

Namu ♧♧ (15:12): but i can’t fall asleep 

Namu ♧♧ (15:12): so i’m watching a chinese cop drama 

Namu ♧♧ (15:13): well not watching watching

Namu ♧♧ (15:13): i only get like one word every fifteen so

Hoya ●_● (15:14): i watch american cop dramas sometimes 

Hoya ●_● (15:14): with english subtitles

Hoya ●_● (15:14): they’re entertaining

Namu ♧♧ (15:16): ooooh

Namu ♧♧ (15:16): your english must be really good! 

Hoya ●_● (15:17): i want to get better at it 

Hoya ●_● (15:17): watching shows and movies helps me practice

Namu ♧♧ (15:18): you’ve been to america?

Hoya ●_● (15:18): a few times to la

Namu ♧♧ (15:18): nice!

Namu ♧♧ (15:18): for work or pleasure? 

Hoya ●_● (15:18): work, technically? 

Hoya ●_● (15:18): but i enjoyed it so much it was honestly both

Namu ♧♧ (15:20): aah you’re one of the lucky ones~

Namu ♧♧ (15:21): ok i’m going back see you in a bit

Hoya ●_● (18:15): i’ve just realized i didn’t say anything about the texts you sent me last night

Hoya ●_● (18:15): but yes i know the feeling of wanting to do or make something but then kind of failing to carry it out

Hoya ●_● (18:16): your texts actually make more sense now you’ve told me about your job a bit

Hoya ●_● (18:16): i’ve kind of hit that wall sometimes when working on choreos

Hoya ●_● (18:16): making them up i mean

Hoya ●_● (18:17): i know it’s not the same of what you do

Hoya ●_● (18:17): but i want you to know i understand

Namu ♧♧ (21:01): thank you :3

Hoya ●_● (23:00): will you show me your song when you finish it?

Hoya ●_● (23:01): you don’t have to

Namu ♧♧ (23:05): oh you’re still awake

Namu ♧♧ (23:05): and yes :)

Hoya ●_● (23:07): good :)

Hoya ●_● (23:07): how’s everything going?

Namu ♧♧ (23:10): pretty good actually!

Namu ♧♧ (23:10): we made a lot of progress on the actual recording this afternoon/early evening

Hoya ●_● (23:11): you mean you also sing?

Hoya ●_● (23:11): holy shit that explains the showing off

Namu ♧♧ (23:11): ah yeah. i guess it does

Hoya ●_● (23:12): i meant that in a good way

Hoya ●_● (23:12): definitely a good way

Namu ♧♧ (23:13): whoa

Hoya ●_● (23:13): c’mon you must get that a lot

Hoya ●_● (23:13): i can’t possibly be the first person who’s complimented your singing

Namu ♧♧ (23:13): i’m not trying to be coy or fish for compliments or anything

Namu ♧♧ (23:13): i just really appreciate that. honestly

Namu ♧♧ (23:13): i don’t think i’m bad at what i do but there’s always room for improvement

Hoya ●_● (23:14): yeah i know what you mean

Namu ♧♧ (23:20): also it still feels like i’m putting myself on the line every time i release new music

Namu ♧♧ (23:20): it’s kind of terrifying sometimes because there’s a lot of time and hard work behind every song and every stage but the fans only see the end result 

Namu ♧♧ (23:20): so they judge all that effort based on a 3-5 minute song

Hoya ●_● (23:20): the glamourous bits

Namu ♧♧ (23:20): yes!

Namu ♧♧ (23:20): i mean the final performances are definitely part of the process too

Namu ♧♧ (23:21): but compared to the rest i think they are just the tip of the iceberg

Hoya ●_● (23:21): smoke and mirrors?

Namu ♧♧ (23:21): hah. yeah, kind of

Namu ♧♧ (23:21): it’s funny because sometimes one of my friends calls me that. the smoke and mirrors thing

Namu ♧♧ (23:22): because i bluff too much i guess

Hoya ●_● (23:22): i don’t know

Hoya ●_● (23:22): you seem pretty honest to me so far

Namu ♧♧ (23:22): i guess it’s easier to talk to someone like this

Namu ♧♧ (23:23): there’s less pressure

Hoya ●_● (23:23): also i’m just a random neighbor

Namu ♧♧ (23:25): no

Namu ♧♧ (23:25): you’re not just that

Namu ♧♧ (23:26): my friend isn’t wrong in a sense

Namu ♧♧ (23:26): anyway

Hoya ●_● (23:26): i don’t think having a stage persona counts as being fake

Hoya ●_● (23:26): i mean i believe that’s kind of the point of performing right?

Hoya ●_● (23:27): you show a certain side of yourself to fit a certain concept

Namu ♧♧ (23:29): yeah. and it’s difficult to find the right balance between showing too much of yourself to the public and not showing enough i think

Hoya ●_● (23:29): yeah

Hoya ●_● (23:30): it sounds like you care a lot about music. and also about your fans

Namu ♧♧ (23:30): you’re really kind

Hoya ●_● (23:32): anytime :)

Hoya ●_● (23:49): are you still working?

Namu ♧♧ (23:56): mhmm

Namu ♧♧ (23:56): it looks like i’m pulling another all-nighter probably

Namu ♧♧ (23:56): that song i haven’t finished yet? i showed my drafts to the engineer noona and played her the demo and she said it has to happen

Namu ♧♧ (23:57): she said it was good enough as it is but i told her it can still be better

Hoya ●_● (23:59): can you do it?

\--------------20160226--------------

Namu ♧♧ (00:02): yeah

Namu ♧♧ (00:02): i think i can :)

Namu ♧♧ (01:53): one of the hyungs has brought a bottle of baijiu to the studio

Namu ♧♧ (01:56): oh apparently it’s someone’s birthday today

Namu ♧♧ (02:37): yo ukknow what thi s is gr

Namu ♧♧ (02:37): grea t

Hoya ●_● (10:18): looks like someone had fun last night

Namu ♧♧ (11:32): did you know someone randomly stood up on a table and started dancing

Namu ♧♧ (11:32): and the table broke

Hoya ●_● (11:35): was that you???

Namu ♧♧ (11:36): what NO

Namu ♧♧ (11:36): of course not!

Namu ♧♧ (11:36): i actually left a little bit after i texted you

Hoya ●_● (11:37): those were actual words?

Namu ♧♧ (11:37): you’re so funny

Namu ♧♧ (11:38): i got rained on while i was getting back to my hotel

Namu ♧♧ (11:38): which was good for sobering up

Namu ♧♧ (11:39): and then i slept on my soft soft bed

Hoya ●_● (11:40): so you left the party early

Namu ♧♧ (11:40): i left the party early

Namu ♧♧ (11:40): it looked like the permanent markers would’ve happened this time if i’d fallen asleep on the mixing board again

Hoya ●_● (11:41): better safe than sorry

Namu ♧♧ (16:50): i didn’t ask yesterday but

Namu ♧♧ (16:50): i assume you’re a dancer?

Hoya ●_● (16:51): you’ve caught me just before my 6 pm class so i don’t have much time to chat but yeah

Hoya ●_● (16:51): i am

Hoya ●_● (16:51): my friends and i opened a dance academy together

Hoya ●_● (16:51): i do freelance stuff as a choreographer too

Namu ♧♧ (16:52): i really want to see you dance now

Hoya ●_● (16:52): maybe when you show me your song? we can do an exchange

Namu ♧♧ (16:52): i like how that sounds

Hoya ●_● (16:55): anyway i need to make sure the practice room is ready so i should get going

Namu ♧♧ (16:59): see you later!

Hoya ●_● (18:35): apparently i’ve been checking my phone too often these past couple of days

Hoya ●_● (18:35): especially since “all your friends already work with you who the hell are you talking to”

Hoya ●_● (18:35): rumor has it that i owe money to someone and they’ve run out of patience

Hoya ●_● (18:35): i’ll keep you posted

Namu ♧♧ (19:09): that sounds just like the drama i was watching yesterday!

Namu ♧♧ (19:09): is there anything you wanna tell me, number 5-nim?

Hoya ●_● (19:42): please

Hoya ●_● (19:42): you didn’t even know what was going on with the plot

Namu ♧♧ (21:02): help

Namu ♧♧ (21:02): these people got meat for dinner again 

Namu ♧♧ (21:02): don’t get me wrong i love meat

Namu ♧♧ (21:02): but eating meat every day is making me sick

Namu ♧♧ (21:03): i’d die for a bowl of porridge 

Namu ♧♧ (21:03): or for just anything other than meat

Hoya ●_● (21:10): you’re coming back tomorrow right? 

Hoya ●_● (21:10): it’s almost over 

Namu ♧♧ (21:12): yeah

Namu ♧♧ (21:15): don't get me wrong

Namu ♧♧ (21:15): everybody’s really great to work with 

Namu ♧♧ (21:17): i just miss being home i guess

Namu ♧♧ (21:18): and i’m tired and hungry right now

Namu ♧♧ (21:20): sorry i’m just ranting at you

Namu ♧♧ (21:20): you must have better things to do

Hoya ●_● (21:22): you don’t have to keep apologizing 

Hoya ●_● (21:22): you’re human

Hoya ●_● (21:22): i get it

Hoya ●_● (21:22): i’m not gonna think less of you you know 

Namu ♧♧ (21:24): i’m really grateful for being here and being able to work with this team

Namu ♧♧ (21:24): i’m not gonna ask them to get me something different to eat or anything

Namu ♧♧ (21:25): because i really don’t wanna bother them

Hoya ●_● (21:25): try not to get sick tho

Namu ♧♧ (21:26): i haven't had dinner so far today

Namu ♧♧ (21:26): well. i ate an apple

Hoya ●_● (21:26): that’s not reassuring at all… 

Hoya ●_● (21:40): there’s this really good noodle place i know 

Hoya ●_● (21:40): i haven’t tried their porridge so i don’t know how it is but i think you might like the food there

Namu ♧♧ (21:42): did you just ask me out

Hoya ●_● (21:44): i’m just saying it’s a good place 

Hoya ●_● (21:47): but also 

Hoya ●_● (21:47): it would be nice to put a face to your voice i think

Namu ♧♧ (21:47): yeah

Namu ♧♧ (21:47): i’d like that too :)

Hoya ●_● (21:49): showering isn’t the same without you 

Namu ♧♧ (21:50): oh my god

Hoya ●_● (21:51): WAIT

Hoya ●_● (21:51): I DIDN’T MEAN IT IN A WEIRD WAY

Hoya ●_● (21:51): FUCK

Hoya ●_● (21:53): please ignore that 

Namu ♧♧ (21:54): too late~

Namu ♧♧ (21:54): i’m screencapping this conversation

Namu ♧♧ (21:54): for posterity~~~~

\--------------20160227--------------

Namu ♧♧ (03:04): i might’ve run away from the studio

Namu ♧♧ (03:04): i might’ve ordered seafood stew

Namu ♧♧ (03:20): this is so good

Hoya ●_● (10:01): did you honestly go to eat stew at 4 am

Namu ♧♧ (10:05): of course not it was only 3 am here

Namu ♧♧ (10:05): beijing is one hour behind seoul remember?

Namu ♧♧ (10:05): also good morning sleepyhead~

Hoya ●_● (10:11): you can’t prove i’ve just got up

Namu ♧♧ (10:12): sure

Namu ♧♧ (10:12): whatever you say

Hoya ●_● (10:12): god you’re a morning person i need coffee for this

Namu ♧♧ (10:15): actually i just got used to getting up early

Namu ♧♧ (10:15): and to running on little sleep whenever i have a deadline

Namu ♧♧ (10:15): i plan on sleeping in tomorrow tho

Hoya ●_● (10:17): you should

Hoya ●_● (10:17): sleep in and take the rest of the day for yourself

Hoya ●_● (10:18): did you finish your song?

Namu ♧♧ (10:20): i did

Hoya ●_● (10:21): can i listen to it?

Namu ♧♧ (10:24): yes

Namu ♧♧ (10:24): not today tho

Namu ♧♧ (10:24): tomorrow?

Namu ♧♧ (10:26): you could take me to that noodle place you mentioned

Hoya ●_● (10:27): yeah

Hoya ●_● (10:27): we should do that

Hoya ●_● (10:28): i can show you our studio afterwards too

Namu ♧♧ (10:31): you’ll dance for me?

Hoya ●_● (10:32): i said we’d do an exchange right?

Namu ♧♧ (10:35): you did :)

Namu ♧♧ (10:35): i don’t know how much i’ll be able to check my phone today but i’ll text you before i get on the plane

Hoya ●_● (10:42): that’s fine

Hoya ●_● (10:42): good luck today!

Namu ♧♧ (14:03): it might be silly but

Namu ♧♧ (14:03): i’m looking forward to tomorrow

Hoya ●_● (14:50): i hope it doesn’t disappoint you

Hoya ●_● (14:57): tomorrow i mean

Namu ♧♧ (16:10): you won’t

Namu ♧♧ (19:02): my flight’s started boarding

Namu ♧♧ (19:02): i will see you back in seoul

Hoya ●_● (21:05): have a safe trip, namu

Hoya ●_● (21:05): and welcome back home

 

※※※

 

 _You’ll be happy to know I really love sushi; that chirashi was as good as you promised. However, there’s no grilled eel like the one they make in this one restaurant in Busan, just by the sea. It’s honestly the best._  
_Sleep well tonight, I’ll see you later._  
_Hoya_

 

※※※

 

Light pours into Woohyun’s bedroom, pooling on his messy sheets. He throws an arm over his eyes, rolling over so he’s facing the wall. He forgot to shut the blinds last night and the sun is hot against his back—too hot and bright, Woohyun realizes, waking up by degrees, more relaxed and content than he’s been in weeks. He’d planned on sleeping in, but he wasn’t actually expecting to stay in bed past noon; however, as he discovers when he fishes his phone from under the pillow, that’s exactly what he’s done.

The pull of his muscles when he gets up feels so good he stretches out into it, raising to the tips of his toes to chase away the lingering soreness of the trip. Woohyun wonders if he should bother making breakfast or just wait until lunch; in the end, he picks up his phone and types a short question, fingers quick on the screen when he swipes then over the _send_ icon. The reply comes not a full minute later, making him smile as he reads it. 

He’s aware he’s making an effort to look good, taking his time to style his hair and choose his clothes. It’s not like he’s expecting anything in particular from meeting his neighbor—even though he’s inclined to like the guy already, just from the texts and notes they’ve exchanged over the last days—but he wants to make a good impression. There’s a sense of anticipation bubbling up in his chest, almost like he were getting ready for a date.

The thought catches Woohyun unaware, making him pause, shirt halfway on, belt buckle undone. He can’t possibly—

He doesn’t even know his neighbor’s _name_ , doesn’t know anything about him other than the sound of his voice when he sings, the dry wit of his messages, the quiet, unassuming comfort of his texts, keeping Woohyun company from one timezone away. Woohyun knows nothing about him, and yet—

He has to sit down for a moment so he can catch his breath.

His fingers shake, slipping on the buttons of his shirt, but he finally manages to do them one by one, tucking the shirt in afterwards and smoothing it down. The clock shows it’s almost time for him to leave if he doesn’t want to keep his neighbor waiting. Woohyun puts on a sweater, grabs his coat, pockets his keys and wallet. He pauses with one hand on the front door handle, the other pressed against his breastbone, over the rapid-fire beat of his heart.

The four steps to the next apartment are over too quickly—it almost feels anticlimactic, that it has taken him so little to get exactly where he wanted—and then he’s knocking on the door, listening for any sounds coming from inside. Woohyun barely has to wait; one moment he’s staring at white-painted wood, and the next there’s a guy around his age standing in front of him. His eyes go very wide and round when he sees Woohyun.

“You are—?” he says, looking dumbstruck.

It’s the same voice Woohyun’s heard before, the one he’s sung with so many times already. There isn’t a wall separating them anymore though, and the guy is just as beautiful as he sounds. They are so close Woohyun could reach out and touch his wrist, if only he were brave enough.

“I’m Nam Woohyun,” he says, stuttering in the middle of his own name.

“Yes,” the guy replies easily, beaming at him. His eyes are dark and warm, and his ears, Woohyun notes, are turning a bright shade of red. Woohyun looks at the sharp cut of his jaw, the strong set of his neck and shoulders, the way his smile is so wide it crinkles up his nose. He can’t help but grin back, helplessly charmed.

“I’m Lee Howon,” his neighbor—Howon—says. “Welcome back, Woohyun-ssi. It’s nice to meet you at last.”

He holds out his hand, palm up, a clear invitation. Woohyun takes it, lacing their fingers together, and lets Howon pull him inside.

**Author's Note:**

> Songs:
> 
> Mate -- Run  
> Annyeong Bada -- Soon  
> Annyeong Bada -- 별 빛이 내린다 (Fading Starlight)  
> Dynamic Duo -- 거기서거기 (Without You)  
> MIA -- Bad Girls  
> Stevie Wonder -- I Just Called To Say I Love You  
> B’z -- OCEAN  
> Alex -- 데이지 (Daisy)


End file.
